Teleplay by: Joanna Lee.
Story by: Earl Hamner.
Director: Philip Leacock.
Music: Arthur Morton
The Thanksgiving Story
"Next to Christmas, I suppose you'd have to say
that Thanksgiving was our favorite time of the year. We may have been poor in
worldly possessions but at Thanksgiving, more than any other time, I think we
knew, we really knew, how great was our abundance. It wasn't until the cold
November of my 18th year however, that I fully understood what abundance meant.
It was a time of terrible questioning for all of us, and when it was over, we
all knew a bit more about Thanksgiving".
Part 1
Erin, Jim Bob, and Elizabeth bring pumpkins into the
house, Jason and Ben crack walnuts for Grandma’s applesauce cake, and Grandpa
and John work in the mill. Grandpa thinks the saw needs oil, while inside Grandma believes something is missing from her relish.
Olivia thinks the missing ingredient is salt, but Mary Ellen believes its dill
weed. Mary Ellen comments that she is trying out for the character Pocahontas
(against Martha Rose Coverdale) opposite G.W. Haines’ character John Smith in
the school play.
John-Boy drives up to announce his
application for a scholarship at Boatwright University has been received, his
grades are being transferred—on Monday he will fill out admission forms at the
school. John-Boy is also excited to learn that Jenny Pendleton
and her stepmother are arriving for Thanksgiving. He asks Grandma for a haircut
so he will look just right. After a quick haircut, John-Boy helps with the
Henderson order. He thinks that they could cut two boards at a time, but while
cutting the first boards, the belt flies off and slaps John-Boy in the forehead
knocking him unconscious. Grandma and Olivia take him inside to tend to the
bloody cut on his head.
That night as John-Boy writes in his journal his
fingers become numb. He writes: “It seems to me
that my life is rushing past me at a furious rate. It doesn’t seem to be any time
to do all the tings I want to do. And there are so many books I have yet to
read. And so many words in me that I have yet to get down on paper….”
On Sunday Jason decides not to go to church, asking
his father to borrow Old Blue so he can ride to the Baldwin’s who need help at
fifty cents a day. John suggests he tell his mother what he is doing. Grandpa
decides to smoke hams, but Grandma thinks he shouldn’t do it on the Sabbath.
Miss Mamie and Miss Emily tell Jason that he will assist them in making a special
batch of the Recipe to be sent to President and Mrs. Roosevelt. He will be
fetching branch water, oiling the pump, and mashing corn. Jason agrees that it
would be unpatriotic not to help.
Ben tells Grandpa that with Jason getting a new job
and John-Boy off to college, he would like to help him smoke hams and shoot the
Thanksgiving turkey. Grandpa wonders why he is in such a hurry to grow up.
They return to church, with John-Boy saying he is
off to the Pendleton house to cleanup before they arrive. On the way, John-Boy
meets with his Daddy who is hunting. But, as he talks with John, his vision
blurs and his father’s voice is muffled. John thinks something is wrong, but
John-Boy says he is fine.
At the house, John-Boy uncovers sheets from the
furniture, cleans the windows, and sweeps the front porch. While trying to
unblock the fireplace flue, Jenny and Eula drive up. Upon walking inside, they
find what they think is an intruder. They yell to the man whose head is up the
chimney, and find John-Boy turn around with black soot all over his face. They
laugh at his appearance. That night at the supper table Jenny and Eula relate
their encounter with John-Boy. Elizabeth asks if John-Boy has kissed her yet.
She says no, but Elizabeth wonders if she wants him to kiss her.
At the old Walton homestead, John-Boy and Jenny sit
at the fireplace. They look at each other, John-Boy moves closer to her, and
they kiss for the first time. At this same time, John
tells Olivia that Jenny and John-Boy are sensible young people, and she
shouldn’t worry. Olivia likes the idea that John usually knows what she is
feeling.
In the morning, John-Boy runs downstairs as Grandpa,
Grandma, John, and Olivia eat breakfast. John says, “Imagine
that this child is going off to register for college.” At college, John-Boy
presents his papers to Miss Monsell (the Registrar). She admits that the
depression has caused fewer scholarships but says his grades and faculty
recommendations are excellent. She states that the examination (scheduled for
Friday at 1:00 pm in Reardon Hall) will determine scholarships.
At play rehearsal, Mary Ellen, Erin, and the other
girls watch as another girl auditions. Martha Rose shows up with an Indian
costume and her hair in pigtails. Erin takes Mary Ellen away to braid her hair.
Mary Ellen gives a fine audition and wins the role. John-Boy and Jenny talk
about his exam studies. John-Boy admits he needs a college education to bring
his writings together. John-Boy states that his philosophy is that “The world is a tragic place, people are pitiful,
sad creatures but every now and then people have a noble spirit deep down
inside”.
Jenny says she would like to
read his journal, especially the part about their time together last year.
John-Boy says that Samuel Clemens’ wife edited her husband’s work because he
wrote suggestively. Jenny thinks he is very physical even with his
philosophical manner. Jason works while Miss Mamie and Miss Emily admire his
work quality, comparing him to their Papa. The sisters decide to adopt Jason so
he can carry on the tradition of the Recipe. They decide to talk to Olivia
about this matter.
John-Boy takes his dessert up to his room, but drops
the plate when his hand becomes numb. He tells his mother that he tripped.
Later in his room, John-Boy is unable to keep his hands from shaking. That
night John and Jason play checkers while Grandpa makes a turkey caller for Ben
that his Grandpappy made for him.
As a car drives up, Jason whispers to his Daddy that
it’s the Baldwin sisters. The ladies announce they want to adopt Jason. Grandpa
exclaims “Methuselah” and Olivia can’t believe
what they said. When Olivia learns that Jason has been working for the ladies
by making the Recipe, she goes to her Bible. John tells Jason, “I think
she’s trying to be a Christian.” Olivia comes back to say that Jason will
not work for them, that she will pretend the conversation never
happened, and that they are invited to Thanksgiving dinner. She sees Jason off
to bed, as John walks the ladies out to their car.
Part 2
John tells Olivia that she handled the situation
with dignity and Christian charity. But she is mad at him for allowing Jason to
work for the sisters. John finally says, “Lord,
save me from a righteous woman.” John apologizes to Olivia and tries to see
the humor in the situation. They start talking, telling each other how
they both reacted. The next day John-Boy visits Rev. Fordwick to ask him for a
recommendation. But on his way back to the truck, John-Boy becomes disoriented
and falls to the ground. Rev. Fordwick wonders what is wrong.
Later John-Boy writes in his journal: “But I’m not fine. Somebody is going to catch on soon.
I’ll tell them but it has to wait because tomorrow is just too important.”
Jenny comes into his room to give him a “good-luck” kiss. He asks her to
read to him a section in American History.
In the examination room, the teacher and the proctor
watch as the applicants, including John-Boy, take the test. But, as John-Boy
begins a new section, he cannot read the instructions. His vision is blurred
forcing him to leave the room. Miss Monsell finds John-Boy unable to drive
home. She calls John and Olivia, who drive him to Dr. Vance’s office. Dr. Vance
believes that John-Boy has a blood clot pressing on the visual part of the
brain. They rush him to the hospital. Back home, the family goes to
church—leaving John at the mill. He becomes angry, kicking and hitting the saw.
He looks up to the sky, and then puts his hands over his eyes.
At the hospital, Jenny visits the night before the
surgery. She tries to lift John-Boy’s spirits with a little of that old pioneer
spirit. She reassures him that he’ll get another chance at college. But she is
worried more about the surgery. John-Boy realizes the surgery is serious. Jenny
holds John-Boy, and he admits being scared. The next day Dr. Haley tells the
family that the surgery was a success but John-Boy is still asleep. Olivia
enters the room to wake him. He responds to his mother’s voice, but is still
worried about the examination. Olivia announces that he is awake.
Grandpa looks in on the smokehouse. The children ask
if they should have Thanksgiving. Grandpa doesn’t think that John-Boy would
want them to cancel it. Ben and Grandpa decide to hunt for the turkey. At the
hospital, the nurse finds that John-Boy has not eaten his meal. When John and
Olivia enter, John-Boy is anxious for them to ask Miss Hunter to talk with Miss
Monsell about giving him a second chance. Olivia has brought him cookies made
to look like the family. After they leave, John-Boy eats one of the cookies,
but feels like a cannibal.
Rev. Fordwick and Miss Hunter talk with Miss
Monsell. Miss Hunter is adamant about letting John-Boy take the examination,
even if he takes it at the hospital. Later Miss Hunter visits John-Boy to tell
him that he’ll take the test in two days while still in the hospital. John-Boy
doesn’t think he will be strong enough to even sit up during the exam. Miss
Hunter asks him to think about the possibility, and leaves him books.
The school play is performed. When Martha Rose acts
as an Indian Jim Bob thinks she “stinks”. John-Boy begins to study his books.
John enters, set against him jeopardizing his life. But John-Boy asks his
father what he would do if he were in his position. John says he would take the
test. John-Boy asks him to help with some questions.
Grandpa and Ben climb the Mountain on their way to a
turkey roost. Grandpa sounds his turkey yelper and soon a tom turkey appears.
But Ben fires before aiming, and misses the bird. Grandpa knows the turkey will
not return, telling Ben that he must learn to wait next time. They go to Mr.
Higgins where Ben barters for a turkey in exchange for three chords of firewood
and one half bushel of walnuts. Ben tells Zeb that he’s the “best grandpa in the whole, entire country”.
Jenny visits John-Boy as he studies. He is scared
but feels he can win everything with this second chance. John-Boy tells Jenny
that he loves her, and she tells him that she loves him. John-Boy takes the
exam as Miss Hunter looks on. John and Olivia wait outside, the children wait
at home, Grandma and Grandpa pray at church, and Jenny goes to the old
homestead. Later Jenny arrives to wait with Jim Bob and Elizabeth. Finally, the
test is over, John-Boy feels confident, and both he and Miss Hunter are
relieved that he finished.
Back home, Olivia and Grandma finish with
Thanksgiving dinner. Grandpa tells his story about his dog who flagged down the
train. Elizabeth finds Jim Bob upstairs writing a letter to John-Boy. He has
only written “Dear John-Boy” and Elizabeth adds, “Miss ya” and “xxxxxx”. Jim
Bob says to Elizabeth, “You’re smart!” and she
responds, “I know”. Olivia calls everybody to the dinner table.
Grandpa says grace, but Elizabeth and Jim Bob are upset that John-Boy can’t be
with them. John thinks that Yancy is arriving when a car drives up. But the
family rush to John-Boy when he and Dr. Vance enter the house. John-Boy gives a kiss to Jenny and says, “Happy Thanksgiving”.
Grandpa says another grace,
“Oh, my dear Lord, look down upon this family on Thanksgiving Day, and we
ask you to bless all of our dear friends assembled under this roof with the
abundance that you have showed upon this family. And for the joy and love and
caring for one another that all of us feel. And for most especially, dear Lord,
that you have brought home to us our eldest boy safe and sound, Amen.”
Everybody joins in with the joy of this special day.
"Several weeks were to pass before we were to
know the decision of the scholarship committee. The announcement came by
telegram. My name was on the list—my journey was about to begin—I had won the
scholarship".
John-Boy (screaming from outside): I've got it! I've
got it! I've got it!
Everybody (shouting and cheering).
John: You're wonderful.
Olivia: I never kissed a College man before!
Elizabeth: Can I go with you?
John: I'm proud of you, son.
Jason: Next time it'll be me!
Mary Ellen: And me, I'm going to College too.
Erin: If you're going then I'm going.
Grandma: Well I can't get over the passing of time,
just yesterday he was a baby and next thing you know he's going to be getting
married.
Ben: Who's going to help us with homework now?
Jim Bob: I will, Ben.
Ben: How can you, you don't even know how to –
Jason: John-Boy when you go to College can I have your room?
Notes:
John-Boy
is eighteen years old.
The
episode begins on a Saturday before Thanksgiving in November 1934.
Jenny
Pendleton first appeared in The Love Story (season 1, episode 17). She
is an Episcopalian (belonging to the Protestant Episcopal Church).
Jenny has applied to the
girl’s college across the lake from Boatwright University (sometimes called
Boatwright College).
Ms.
Monsell, Boatwright’s Registrar mentions that her boss is Dean Beck.
The
Baldwin sisters want to give Jason the “blue room” as his bedroom (the room
that Ashley Longworth stayed), and pay for his college studies at VMI. VMI is
Virginia Military Institute at Lexington, Virginia, and its web site is http://www.vmi.edu/.
Rev.
Matthew Fordwick went to Virginia Theological Academy. In Virginia, there is a
Virginia Theological Seminary, which may have been what was referred to here.
It is located in Alexandria, Virginia, and its web site is http://www.vts.edu/. (It is a Protestant
Episcopal Theological Seminary, but Rev. Fordwick is a Baptist.)
John-Boy
expects to major in journalism at Boatwright.
Philip
Leacock, the episode’s director, was nominated for an Emmy for best direction,
and Joanna Lee, the episode’s writer, won an Emmy for best script.
Rance
Howard, who plays Dr. McIvers, is Ron Howard’s father. Ron Howard appears as
Seth Turner in The Gift (season one, episode eighteen).
Also appearing:
Jenny
Pendleton (Sian Barbara Allen), Eula Pendleton (Diane Shalet), Martha Rose
Coverdale (Cindy Eilbacher); Rev. Matthew Fordwick (John Ritter), Miss Rosemary
Hunter (Mariclare Costello), Miss Mamie and Miss Emily Baldwin (Helen Kleeb and
Mary Jackson), G.W. Haines (David Doremus), Dr. Vance (Victor Izay), Miss
Monsell (Nadine Turney), Nurse Stewart (Claudia Bryar), Dr. McIvers (Rance
Howard), Dr. Haley (Ivan Bonar), Jerry (David Henesy), Mr. Higgins (Paul
Sorenson), Teacher (Monty Margetts), Procter (Keith Atkinson), Fern (Teresa
Medaris), Mabel (Kym Karath), Nurse (Betsy Finely).
(synopsis
written by William Atkins and edited by Arthur Dungate)